he still needs to work on telling a story through his dishes. She even declared that his lamb had the “wow factor” which would impress at the banquet. Wow indeed.
Comically Mike topped off his high-protein beef affair by donning a bandana, a la his dish’s namesake, Pat Cash. Angela said that the prop was genius, though disappointingly his Waygu beef was not, as it was lacking in barbeque flavour.
Selin’s barbeque banquet impressed the six-time Great British Menu judge. She said: “you could definitely see that at a banquet”. The only issue she found with the dish was the technique of cooking a lamb should on a barbeque, which she said isn’t, perhaps, the best way to cook the meat.
Overall it was Tom who took the top marks in the main course round, earning a hearty nine points. Mike and Selin were both awarded eight. That means that Selin and Tom are in joint first place with 23 points going into Thursday’s dessert round, while Mike follows closely with 22.
Let’s see what sumptuous summer sweets they whip up to try and earn their place in Friday’s semi-final!
It was all white on the night for two of the Great British Menu chefs in last night’s dessert round of the London and the South East heat of the Great British Menu.
The contestants, who are battling it out to for the chance to cook at a lavish banquet to celebrate 140 years of the Wimbledon Championships, were inspired by the white outfits which tennis players wear at the competition, and created three beautiful, sweet offerings for six-time veteran judge Angela Hartnett.
Michelin-starred Tom Kemble, of Bonhams Restaurant, London, created his own twist on the classic Wimbledon dish of strawberries and cream, instead using raspberries. The technical dessert proved tricky for the chef – who has had a couple of hairy moments so far in the competition - as his show-stopping sourdough tuiles cracked in the oven. Thankfully he thought ahead and froze his elderflower sorbet quenelles. Imagine if they’d melted too? What a dessert disaster that would have been…
Turkish Cypriot fusion chef, Selin Kiazim, who runs Oklava restaurant, London, favoured girl power in her dessert by taking inspiration from the female champions of Wimbledon, in a dish named Ladies in White. The offering, which included cream cheese and strawberry spheres wrapped in kadaif pastry, came complete with a strawberry Bellini and personalised note for each diner. Fancy.
Mike Reid, a protégé of Michel-Roux Junior, aimed to pull off an ace dessert, which he labelled Wimbledon Whites. The fruity pudding contained smoked mango, coconut and a milk crumb, yet despite its tropical flavours and pretty presentation, failed to wow the other contestants and Michelin-starred chef, Angela.
When the scores came in, it was Tom and Selin who were hailed pudding heroes and sent through to tonight’s final. Tom received nine points for his “refined” dessert, which took his total to 32 and automatically sent him straight through to see the judges.
Selin was criticised for an overpowering flavour of pistachio in her dessert but praised for the deep fried kadaif, and was given eight points, giving her a total of 31, which means that she will also cook for the judges.
Unfortunately, creative chef, Mike was sent home. His Wimbledon Whites dessert was too saccharin for Angela, although she did like the smoked mango and yuzu.
Tonight, Tom and Selin will have to cook their entire menu again for judges Oliver Peyton, Matthew Fort and for the first time, broadcaster and restaurateur Andi Oliver, but who will be victorious?
The Great British Menu judges have spoken and picked their first national finalist after an action-packed opening week of the Great British Menu 2017.
Restaurateur Oliver Peyton OBE and food writer and critic Matthew Fort returned to the small screen to judge the Great British Menu chefs’ dishes. They were joined by food broadcaster Andi Oliver, as well as guest judge Leon Smith, a Davis Cup captain and Andy Murray’s former trainer. He proved to be as tough a critic off the court, as on.
The judges were treated to the dishes designed by London and the South East competitors Selin Kiazim, of Oklava restaurant, London, and Tom Kemble, of Bonhams restaurant, London, who battled it out for the chance to cook at a lavish banquet honouring 140 years of the Wimbledon Championships.
The judges, who had mixed reviews on their cooking, found it difficult to choose between the two, to decide who should go through to the national final.
Selin was first to serve her starter Queue-cucumber. Oliver Peyton painted a vivid picture of the dish, saying: “there are a lot of nice things going on here but it’s like a sort of child who’s been left unrestrained in a candy shop.” However Andi defended the dish – she liked the borek stuffed with tulum cheese – saying it was a good plate of food.
Tom’s starter, a tomato gazpacho with mustard and dill ice cream, labelled Marbella Memories, was not well received, and neither was the dish’s title.
The fish courses received more mixed reviews. Tom’s refined take on the classic picnic pleased Matthew who loved the whopping dollop of caviar on top of the fish, while Oliver didn’t appreciate the ‘sea of shocking beurre blanc’.
Main course was a smoky meat feast. They enjoyed Tom’s dish but said there were so many elements that you had to ‘battle your way to the lamb’. Selin’s Grand Slam Lamb received some ‘woah’ comments from the judges, who enjoyed her Dutchee sausage.
Tom took the next set with his twist on strawberries and cream. However they weren’t too keen on Selin’s elaborate dessert, Ladies Dressed In White, and the many elements which made it up. Andi did like the strawberry Bellini, which Leon described as “coaches lemonade”, while Oliver Peyton said the cream cheese and strawberry sphere, wrapped in kadaif pastry, was a “weird little number.”
In the end, Selin managed to inch into the lead and was sent through to the national finals. The judges said that they loved her lamb dish, but urged her to change the dessert.
As for Tom, Andi pleaded with him to return next year and try his hand at the competition again.
Who will rise to the challenge next week as the contestants from the South West step up to the plate?
Twitter: @monica_turnbull
